


sweet as cherry wine

by emilyszuko



Category: Cloak & Dagger (TV 2018)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-10 22:41:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15301635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emilyszuko/pseuds/emilyszuko
Summary: When it happens, he's certain he dies for a second, just like she has.





	sweet as cherry wine

**Author's Note:**

> im so so sorry.
> 
> (title from Hozier's "Cherry Wine")

When it happens, he's certain he dies for a second, just like she has.  
  
He's not looking in her direction, too busy handling his portion of the culmination of their problems. That's how they'd planned it. After weeks of buildup and strategizing, it'd come to this.  
  
This... sick and twisted situation that the universe had decided to toss them into, blinded, unwilling and completely non the wiser.  
  
Tandy's body falls like a wet plop upon the concrete floor beneath her feet, head thrown to the side as the white dagger between her fingers dull into nothingness.  
  
He feels it.  
  
Yet, he's not sure what it is exactly that he feels. But his body stops functioning, heart tilting to a complete stop, breath screeching to a painful halt and brain short circuiting for what feels like eternity before it all jumpstarts, regaining power -- only everything doesn't feel whole. It's not even close to being whole. It's half empty. And then there's this piercing burn in his chest.  
  
It feels like a tether. Like, this invisible thing that draws him to her before the rest of him realizes that he wants to go to her. Needs to.  
  
There's a horrified scream that echoes throughout the space as he floats to her side, and it's not until he makes out the sound of his voice asking her over and over again not to leave him that he realizes the scream had originated from him. He lands on his knees, hands hovering over her prone form, desperately wanting to hold her but achingly aware he can't, his vision blurring as he wills the girl before him -- the dagger to his cloak, his half of their divine pairing, his soulmate _not to leave him_.  
  
He's not sure of the length of time that passes before her eyes flutter open, and his heart twists violently in his chest when she smiles up at him. Because though her smile shines brighter than any dagger she could create under her will, her eyes are heavy, resigned and satisfied because he knows -- _he knows_ \-- she'd wanted to universe to spare him, and take her. And she's got her wish.  
  
"No, Tandy," he begs, only vaguely aware of the taste of salt from his tears that had slipped on his tongue as he chokes on his own sobs. "You're not leaving me. Not you."  
  
"Ty," she croaks out, and then a heavy cough racks her body as blood spills onto her lips. His chest tightens, limbs numb as he watches her, unable to do anything to help, but stubbornly unwilling to accept that this had been their faith all along.  
  
That the universe played tug of war with them, pulled them apart and pushed them together, just for it all to result in this. No matter how hard they tried -- fighting tooth and nail to prevent this, turning over every stone to find another way... in the end, on what had been a daunting night, Tandy's life is slowly slipping away from her, just as he can feel his own sanity slipping away from him.  
  
Tandy brings a hand up to wipe at her mouth, eyes never leaving his as her cough dies down. A shudder runs through her, but she ignores it, he knows, just like she's probably ignoring everything, like her pain, or the fact that there's little time left, instead stuttering out, "Ty..." she whispers his nickname, sounding for the most part like he's her salvation. He lets out a raged breath, gaze never leaving hers as she continues weakly, "Sorry you have to watch another person you know die."  
  
And really, that she's literally dying, about to lose the breath that circulates her body, but is here, apologizing about the fact that he has to watch her die, doesn't even begin to explain why he _loves_ this girl so much.  
  
"Shh," he whispers, wanting her to save her breath, because some part of him, he realizes, still has hope that it doesn't have to end like this.  
  
But then he thinks of the fact that the personification of hope lays before him, coughing up blood, and he just can't do that to himself, can't do that to her. Can't make promises of things being okay because, were they ever, really?  
  
"Don't speak too much, T. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."  
  
_I'm not going anywhere_.  
  
Tyrone has had a lot of regrets in his life, the biggest one being that night his brother died. If he hadn't went and stole that car radio, he'd still have Billy. He remembers witnessing the life leave his body as he'd been shot, remembers how the blood had mixed with the rain as it stained his shirt. He remembers how his body had fell, weightless and without life into a future that would never result in justice.  
  
That night, Tandy had saved him. Or, they'd saved each other. Though he hadn't known, and it had only been a brief moment among years of grief, her hand within his had been his saving grace.  
  
Another of his biggest regrets is only from weeks ago, when he'd had to watch Duane die in front of him, all hopes of putting Connors behind bars taken to the grave along with his brother's old friend. The sight of Detective O'Reilly's bullets finding home in him is still fresh in his mind, rocking him even now as he recalls it. If he'd done a better job of getting through to Duane, things would've ended differently.  
  
He'd found solace in Tandy's presence then again. His powers had taken him to her, and though he couldn't feel her touch, when he'd broken down before her, he'd felt more comfort with her just being there than he's ever felt anywhere else. He felt safe, and more importantly, he felt her concern and understanding. Once more, she'd been his redemption, and she hadn't stopped there.  
  
It's no question that he'd fallen in love with her, only aware that he'd already been half way there when he vowed to himself not to admit to these feelings, because he'd been too afraid to say as much to her. Afraid of what admitting to them would even result in.  
  
Now, Tandy's eyes are losing even more of their light, desperately trying to hold onto the moment, but unable to do much to stretch it out any longer.  
  
Who will he go to when she dies?  
  
Who will be his saving grace?  
  
Who will be his redemption?  
  
His salvation?  
  
The answer doesn't come to him, because the answer is _right here_ , and as his throat closes up, breath getting harder to inhale and exhale, he realizes he doesn't know how he's supposed to go on without her.  
  
"Tyrone Johnson..." she croaks out, tentatively reaching a shaky hand up to touch his face. He should move away from her touch, he should, because them touching only ever results in one thing, but he just _can't_.  
  
Yet when the soft tips of her fingers find a home on his cheek, nothing and everything happens. Goosebumps form along his skin as her thumb rubs circles on the surface, his breath hitching in his throat at the action. His face feels warm where her hand lays, and it buzzes with each stroke as she collects his tears and wipes them away. It's a simple touch in and of itself, but its also quite honestly the best thing he's ever felt.  
  
The moment of awe dies quickly though, and he realizes just when she has -- if the look on her face is any indication -- that them being able to touch means...  
  
Well, it means life no longer has any meaning.  
  
"Huh... would you look at that. Shit didn't go boom, Ty," she tries, voice impossibly small and weak, wobbling slightly as she attempts to lighten the mood.  
  
Only, the mood sours even more as her eyes start to slip shut. Having had enough of just hovering over her, Tyrone pulls her almost limp body into his lap, one arm around her shoulders and the other on her cheek, disappointed but not surprised when their powers don't send them across the room from each other when they touch again.  
  
"Hey, hey, hey," he shakes her, letting out a small sigh of relief when she blinks her eyes open at attention once more. "I'm not ready to say goodbye yet, Tandy Bowen... I'm not ready to say goodbye at all."  
  
She smiles that same resigned, satisfied smile, turning his stomach and causing his heart to dip, "Come on, you could never say goodbye to me. We always pop up back again in each other's lives, remember?"  
  
He tries to force out a smile for her, but he can tell by the huff of laughter she let's out that it comes out as more of a grimace. "The universe keeps pulling us apart," he recites from a conversation between them a lifetime ago, seeing the irony of the statement almost immediately.  
  
"The universe can kiss my ass. I'm staying with you forever,"  
  
Tyrone can literally feel his heart break. _God_ , why did it have to be her?  
  
He makes next decision in a split second, fully aware that a split second may very well be all they have.  
  
When Tyrone kisses Tandy, he tastes the tang of copper from the blood still staining her lips. He tastes the salt from both their tears, and he taste something else that is entirely her. The kiss is bruising, and hard, but soft and chaste all in one. It's also over all too soon.  
  
"I love you,"  
  
And this, he makes note, as the light dies behind her eyes, is not only his biggest regret yet, but also his final push over the cliff of self destruction. 

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you think :)
> 
> (@felicitysdagger on twitter & cloakedindaggers on tumblr)


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